THE LETTERS OF RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

From R. Vaughan Williams
The White Gates,
Westcott Road,
Dorking.

[?1938]

Dear Joan
Thank you very much for writing to me about Diccon.¹
What do the authorities at Rugby say?  That seems to me important.
Personally I feel against the RCM. From your account I should say he could not hold his own against the appalling specialized skills of the modern professional.  Also I should like him to go [& ??] very much – then if he really found his metier was music he might go to the RCM afterwards.
Is he really good enough on his violin to take it up professionally? – & even then the life of an orchestral player & teacher is not a very bright one.
Does he want to be a schoolmaster – with his many & generalized gifts a music master at a school might be a solution – but 3 years at Cambridge w^d all be to the good for that.  I’ve never done anything for Diccon yet.  I was biding my time – what ever he decides on I should like to help in a suitable way if I may.  The first thing to do it seems to me is to find out what they advise at Rugby.
yrs
R. Vaughan Williams
My love to Martin.

1. Richard Brinkley Shaw, son of Martin and Joan Shaw.